Lakeland feed company reaches settlement on tainted feed

Lakeland Animal Nutrition has reached a settlement with a Miami Beach equestrian centre after 22 horses were poisoned by tainted horse feed that was produced and sold by the company.

A further two horses had to be euthanised last week bringing the death toll at Masterpiece Equestrian Center in Davie to six since October. All the horses at the centre ate the contaminated feed, and all are expected to die from it.

The terms of the settlement with Lakeland Animal Nutrition are confidential according the attorney representing the center.

The contaminated Animal Nutrition feed was discovered after it led to the deaths of three horses at Masterpiece between Oct. 16 and Oct. 20. "The remaining horses continue to deteriorate — unfortunately," Yaffa said.

Lakeland Animal Nutrition recalled the product, stopped producing equine feeds and acknowledged that feed delivered to Masterpiece contained monensin and lasalocid, anti-bacterial additives safe for livestock such as cattle and some poultry but toxic to horses' muscles.

But the settlement may not end Animal Nutrition's legal woes as the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services continues its investigation of the tainted feed incident.